a bit about broad beans ..

i have to admit something before i get started here .. i don't honestly have much experience with growing, harvesting or eating broad beans .. also known as fava beans or horse beans .. i've grown them the past couple of years at the garden .. not because people rave about them but because my friend, phil, introduced them to me years ago as one of his favourite beans .. so when i saw the opportunity to grow some at the community garden, i took it .. now, i like growing them for a few different reasons .. for one, they're a beautifull plant .. tall and somewhat stately, they stand upright on their own until june's westerlies whip through the garden and knock them over .. secondly, although i didn't do it this year, they can be planted as late as october for a late winter early spring crop as their preference is for the cooler weather .. (i planted them in february this year) .. and, thirdly, they are one of those remarkable plants that add nitrogen to the soil ..

i was down checking on them today, and i've just returned home .. i had to give my makeshift broad bean cage one more wrap .. bringing in the fallen and bent stalks that were knocked over by the wind we had last night .. interestingly, the stalks of these beans are hollow, making them somewhat fragile .. but, only two or three smaller stalks broke when they fell against the string .. other than that they're fine .. and the beans are beautifull right now .. bright green, about three inches long, and lookin' good enough to eat .. according to broad bean lovers ..

broad beans grow three to five feet tall, with flowers similar to other bean flowers in shape .. a bit like a tight sweet pea flower .. in the case of broad beans the flowers are black and white .. they don't seem to keep their blooms for long before little beans start forming where the base of the flower joins the stalk .. and the beans grow relatively quickly from that initial point .. sometimes it seems inches in a day .. the beans are a bit unusual in that they grow pointing upwards along the stalk .. some say that when the beans begin to fall from their vertical position, that they are ready to be picked .. and that they can be picked from three or four inches to eight or ten .. the smaller beans can be eaten pod and all .. as they grow and mature, the pod gets tough and so is discarded, while the beans inside are deliciously sweet .. then later, when the beans reach their maturity, the relatively large beans are taken from the pod, steamed, and then peeled, revealing a delightfully brilliant limey green sweet bean .. the fava beans can also be dried and used in soups and stews .. 

as far as harvesting goes there are different ideas out there from broad bean lovers .. one site .. (gardenbetty.com .. search for fava beans) .. gives a down to earth description of broad beans .. a bit of history .. and good information on when to harvest and how to cook them .. one other site i've taken note of is harvesttotable.com .. good information there, too, about broad beans .. and i also happen to know of at least one broad bean lover on the island ..

now, armed with the information i've gathered so far, i'll be starting the broad beans harvest at the community garden in the next day or two .. i'll pick beans of varying maturity and size .. and i'll take some home and cook them up for myself and frank .. i have eaten broad beans at the later stage .. when you pop them out of the skin that encases them, and sauté them with butter and garlic and a bit of salt or soy sauce .. delicious ..

but not to everyone's taste .. do you like eating broad beans .. ? .. what's your preferred bean size and how do you like to cook them .. ? .. and if you've never tried eating a broad bean here is your opportunity .. give them a try .. let me know what you think ..

jane